Following lukewarm response to the government´s attempt to enforce building code, the government has shifted its focus from law enforcement to raising awareness on earthquake resilient structure across the country, especially in urban areas.

To raise awareness among general public regarding earthquake resilient construction so that they start constructing seismic resilient buildings voluntarily, the government has recently prepared an audio visual tool kit on design and construction of such resilient structures.

The Ministry of Urban Development formally launched the audio visual kit amid a program held in the capital on Tuesday. The tool kit was unveiled by Urban Development Minister Narayan Khadka.
 
The Building Act 1998, National Building Code and the Local Self-Governance Act make building code mandatory for public to minimize the risk to human lives and property in the wake of disasters such as earthquake and fire.

Though the laws came into existence over a decade ago, majority of the buildings in the country do not comply with the building code.

Addressing the program, Khadka said constructing earthquake resilient buildings will be possible only when people start giving first priority to safety.

The ministry prepared the tool kit in coordination with United Nations Development Programs-Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Program (CDRMP).
According to officials with CDRMP, the audio visual tool kit has altogether 12 episodes of 15 minutes each.

According to Naresh Giri, urban planner with UNDP-CDRMP, the episodes in the tool kit deal with various seismic design and construction guidelines to be taken into account while constructing buildings.

“Each episode has been prepared in a way that a layman understands the importance of constructing earthquake resilient building,” said he.

The episodes of the tool kit offer glimpse on destruction caused by earthquakes in the country in the past and highlight dos and don´ts of earthquake resistant construction.

The ministry is planning to broadcast the tool kits through various televisions. Similarly, the tool kit will be handed over to the municipalities, which are responsible to enforce the building code. So far, the building code has been enforced only at the municipal level.

“We are also working with the government to organize counseling classes in all the municipalities. In these classes, the house owners seeking approval of their building maps will be shown the visual. It will encourage them to construct earthquake proof buildings,” Giri added.

source: republica,20 may 2014